Historic Sites in Wilmington

"Another location with a long association with British royalty, Westminster Abbey stands on a site that's been associated with Christianity since the early 7th century. Officially known as the Collegiate Church of St. Peter in Westminster, Westminster Abbey was founded by Edward the Confessor in 1065 as his place of interment. From his burial in 1066 until that of George II almost 700 years later, most sovereigns were not only crowned here but were buried here, too."

"If walls could talk, Westminster Abbey would have plenty to say!. The site of every coronation since 1066, this Gothic church is the final resting place for 17 monarchs, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Sir Laurence Olivier, and many, many others. It’s also a favourite for royal weddings—in 2011 Prince William married Kate Middleton here."

"With its beautiful architecture, it’s only natural that Westminster Abbey would feature on this list. My personal favourite spot to photograph it from is from the phone boxes in front of Barclays Bank. That way you can, once again, combine a famous London landmark with a London icon."

"The Tower of London – Built by William the Conqueror in 1078, the Tower of London was turned into a prison in 1100. Some of its most famous prisoners included King Henry VI, the wives of King Henry VII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard and Sir Thomas More. These days the Tower is a museum rather than a prison. A great way to see some of the grounds is with an entertaining tour hosted by the Yeoman Warders who will frighten and dazzle you with tales of the Towers past."

"Over 900 years old, this great castle is located in the centre of the city. It has been used for a wide range of purposes over the years including holding the crown jewels and housing various prisoners. It is for this reason that tourists hardly ever miss a chance to take a trip back in time and explore this medieval masterpiece."

"The Palace of Westminster (more widely known as the Houses of Parliament) is the seat of Parliament in the United Kingdom. The present building largely dates from the 19th century when it was rebuilt following a fire in a splendid example of Victorian neo-Gothic architecture. The House of Commons (elected Members of Parliament) is located to the north of the building and is decorated with green leather upholstery, and the House of Lords is located to the south and decorated with red leather upholstery."

"More than 1000 years of history can be discovered at London’s magnificent Houses of Parliament, stretching beautifully around the corners of Westminster and housing Big Ben. View it from the bank of the Thames and admire a building that continues to remain one of the capital’s biggest attractions, or head inside to delve into its past and present on a Houses of Parliament audio tour. You can also learn more about Big Ben with a free Elizabeth Tower talk."

"Big Ben & The Houses of Parliament – Iconic Big Ben is the name of the bell in the giant clock tower at the end of the Houses of Parliament, where the UK Parliament meets. This iconic sight is best viewed from the Westminster Bridge or from the south side of the Thames."

"The Wallace Collection, in Hertford House, a grand 19th-century townhouse on Manchester Square and the former residence of the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, now plays host to the family’s extraordinary collection of art and artefacts. It features exquisite examples of Urbino maiolica and Sèvres porcelain, miniatures kept in covered cases and imperious armoury on the ground floor. But the star attraction is the collection of works by European artists such as François Boucher, Anthony van Dyck, Peter Paul Rubens, and Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn."

"Held in the Marquesses of Hertford’s former townhouse, the Wallace Collection is one of the world’s finest collections of French 18th century paintings and decorative art. Once owned by Edward Seymour, nephew of Queen Jane Seymour, the noble 17th century townhouse is a thing of beauty in itself. However, it’s the paintings, sculptures, furniture, medieval objects, and armour that undoubtedly take centre stage."

"The Wallace Collection is a national museum which exhibits art collections that were compiled by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and the illegitimate son of the fourth Marquess, Sir Richard Wallace. In 1897, Lady Wallace, the widow of the late Sir Richard Wallace, handed the museum to the British Nation. The museum is housed in the historic Hertford House located in Manchester Square, Westminster."

"Lambeth Palace is the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England on the banks of the River Thames. The palace has served as the archbishop's home for more than 800 years. While the palace opens to the public via guided tours, it is not open to the public only a daily basis."

"This spectacular theater is a replica of Shakespeare's open-roof, wood-and-thatch Globe Playhouse (built in 1599 and burned down in 1613),…"

"The recently opened Nyx hotel in Holborn has brought with it a stellar new option in London’s spa scene – and it’s offering no fewer then six spa days to cater to all your rest and relaxation needs. Go all out with the Glow with Rena experience, which includes full day use of the gym, pool, sauna, hot tub and steam room, as well as a glass of Prosecco, Caudalie facial and foot massage. Alternatively, gather your nearest and dearest for a much needed catch up with the Luxurious Group Pampering Day."

"05/06/2021: We hadn’t been out for ages with the pandemic but after a tough week, decided we needed a treat. The kings head delivered with excellent staff and Covid precautions in place. The food is so good!"

"The King’s Head, Teddington is a welcoming pub and brasserie serving an a la carte menu and Sunday lunch. The King’s Head is well positioned to ..."

"At the Thomas Cubitt in Victoria, they like to keep things light. Don’t get us wrong, the pub menu is chock full of hearty classics – from haddock and chips to sausage and mash – but floor to ceiling French windows that open out onto the street in summer debunk the myth that pubs need to be cosy to be comfortable. Head back into the dining room for a more refined setting in which to enjoy rare breed White Park beef and Dorset game, or go the whole hog and book one of their two decidedly homely private rooms."

"The Rock Garden at Kew Gardens is over an acre in size and is located between the Princess of Wales’s Conservatory and the entrance to the Kitchen Garden. Originally constructed in 1882, this spectacular garden transports you to life in the mountains, with cascading waterfalls, an Alpine House landscape and wild-collected plants displayed from six mountainous regions. Each mountainous region is allocated its own area in the Rock Garden: the European Alps and Pyrenees; the Central Asian steppe and Himalayan mountain streams and meadows; the North American high alpine, prairies and bogs; the Windswept Patagonia; the Mediterranean scrub and South African bergs and kloofs; and the southern Alps of Victoria, Australia and the peaks of New Zealand."

"The Waterlily House is the hottest and most humid of the houses at Kew and contains a large pond with varieties of water lily, surrounded by a display of economically important heat-loving plants. It closes during the winter months. It was built to house Victoria amazonica, the largest of the water lily family Nymphaeaceae."

"It is also home to Regent’s Park and the London Zoo, and Camden Lock is a popular place to start a canal boat ride along the Regent’s Canal. View of Regent’s Canal from Camden Lock Market"

"The Centre for Wildlife Gardening in Peckham, south London is an idyllic wildlife haven tucked away in a quiet residential street. There are lots of habitats including four ponds, a chalk bank, wildflower meadow, woodland copse, herb garden and a mini beast hotel. Visit throughout the year for regular family friendly events such as Nature Tots, arts and crafts and storytelling – check out the website for more info."

"Standing 135m high in a fairly flat city, the London Eye affords views 25 miles in every direction, weather permitting. Interactive tablets provide great information (in six languages) about landmarks as they appear in the skyline. Each rotation – or 'flight' – takes a gracefully slow 30 minutes. At peak times (July, August and school holidays) it can feel like you'll spend more time in the queue than in the capsule; book premium fast-track tickets to jump the line."

"As an alternative to the Shard, you might instead want to visit the London Eye. This doesn’t go quite as high as the Shard, but you are closer to Westminster so get great views of the Houses of Parliament. You could also do both of course!. If you want to do the London Eye, we’ve found the best prices are available by booking your ticket online here."